Border Dilemma - Keeping the Secret

[SweetAlex]

I'm hoping someone else has attempted this and has some suggestions/advice for us. We live just outside Vancouver, Canada and booked our March Disney trip last night! Hubby and I are SO excited. We went to Disney on our honeymoon 13 years ago and finally took the kids there over 2 years ago, when my littlest was only 3. Now she'll be 6 and it will be SO much more fun.

We want to surprise our kids. They have no idea about the trip and ideally, we want to be able to hold off on the surprise until we hit the airport... in Seattle. Our dilemma? Crossing the border and answering the custom officers questions without giving it away. Is it possible?!

My only idea is to hand a note to the Customs Agent with our passports. The note will read something like: "Dear Customs Officer, we are surprising our little ones with a trip to Disneyland and would love to be able to keep the secret until we reach the airport. Our itinerary is attached. We'll return on March 23...". Think this will work? I do have visions of the Guard immediately thinking the note is a threat to national security and arresting us ... . Any other ideas?

 

[danaesacto]

I do have visions of the Guard immediately thinking the note is a threat to national security and arresting us ... . Any other ideas?

If that happens please do not tell them you are with the March group on DisBoards- we will say- nope never saw you, never heard from you, don't know you

I have no idea if it will work- but thank you for your post- I needed to laugh

Congrats on booking the trip- and if you haven'[t yet read through the March thread- come join the fun

 

[sonnyjane]

The note idea is nice, but just curious, what will you be telling the kids regarding the trip in general? In other words, why would they think you're all driving to Seattle?

 

[ArchOwl]

I don't know if your idea will work or not, but I have to say your thread title definitely got my attention! I was wondering what you were trying to sneak across the border!

 

[Pesky]

I would think one of you can distract the kids briefly enough to share that this is a surprise to the kids so to please not say anything.

 

[SGDisneyFam]

Just tell them you are going to Anaheim, to which they'll probably ask "What's in Anaheim?" Then just tell them that place where the mouse lives ... try to be vague and mention you're surprising your kids

 

[Disney Dreams]

I would think one of you can distract the kids briefly enough to share that this is a surprise to the kids so to please not say anything.

I would do this.

When we returned from Vancouver after our Disney cruise the very first thing we said to the customs agents was, "My husband bought some surprise gifts for me that are declared on our paperwork. May I step aside so as not to ruin any of those surprises?" He laughed, looked at the paperwork, asked me a question and then told me to step behind my husband. He then asked him a few things that I did not hear and we were done.

They know about surprises and if you are polite and respectful, they work with you, in our experience.

HTH,
Dreams

 

[bumbershoot]

Just tell them you are going to Anaheim, to which they'll probably ask "What's in Anaheim?"

I bet they'll know exactly what is in Anaheim. And "Anaheim" would be my answer, too.


But I would probably do the surprise THEN. It's going to be a surprise no matter what...why stress yourself over this? Spring it on them at the border crossing.

 

[Carolynleanne]

I'm hoping someone else has attempted this and has some suggestions/advice for us. We live just outside Vancouver, Canada and booked our March Disney trip last night! Hubby and I are SO excited. We went to Disney on our honeymoon 13 years ago and finally took the kids there over 2 years ago, when my littlest was only 3. Now she'll be 6 and it will be SO much more fun.

We want to surprise our kids. They have no idea about the trip and ideally, we want to be able to hold off on the surprise until we hit the airport... in Seattle. Our dilemma? Crossing the border and answering the custom officers questions without giving it away. Is it possible?!

My only idea is to hand a note to the Customs Agent with our passports. The note will read something like: "Dear Customs Officer, we are surprising our little ones with a trip to Disneyland and would love to be able to keep the secret until we reach the airport. Our itinerary is attached. We'll return on March 23...". Think this will work? I do have visions of the Guard immediately thinking the note is a threat to national security and arresting us ... . Any other ideas?

Hi local friend! Were in the Vancouver area too

I think it will really depend on the guard you get that day. Eve had some that are wonderful and others who just don't care.

I say your best bet is the distraction thing. Have the driver talk to the guard and quickly explain the secret while the other adult distracts the kids in the back. Then hopefully the guard plays a long enough that the distraction will no longer be necessary.

Good luck and have a wonderful time

 

[travelbug08]

We live in Vancouver and just flew out of Seattle and so had to cross the boarder. We weren't surprising our kids, but it should be no problem to cross without saying "Disneyland". When we were asked where we were heading, DH said Anaheim and the guard asked what the purpose was and DH said "vacation".

We cross a lot and it depends on the guard the questions they'll ask, I've been asked very detailed questions regarding location and itinerary and also been asked absolutely nothing about anything.

 

[planningjollyholiday]

We flew out of seattle last september and also wanted to surprise the kids at the last minute. We crossed at the sumas border and we had a file folder that contained our passorts, flight and hotel comfirmation as well as a letter at the front of the file folder. In the letter we said that it was a surprise for our children and please dont say anything that would give it away. We gave them our travel dates and mentioned all the supportive documents that were in the folder. We pulled up and the guard asked for our passports. My Dh said, "here is all our info". The guard opened it, read the letter, smiled, asked us what we do for work and then with a big smile said, "have a fun time!"
Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!! My kids are 9 and 3 and didnt have a clue what was happening.

 

[bumbershoot]

Just don't bring any KinderEggs!

 

[sweethannah]

Lol to both the above posts.. that is a great story about the border guards. If we fly out of BLI next time I'll have to remember that.

 

[E&Cmom]

I would just say "Anahiem". I am also from the Vancouver area. A few years ago we surprised our girls with a trip to Great Wolf Lodge. At the border, we just told the guard we just said we were going to Grand Mound. He told us to "have fun" and away we went.

 

[HMANSION LOVER]

I'm hoping someone else has attempted this and has some suggestions/advice for us. We live just outside Vancouver, Canada and booked our March Disney trip last night! Hubby and I are SO excited. We went to Disney on our honeymoon 13 years ago and finally took the kids there over 2 years ago, when my littlest was only 3. Now she'll be 6 and it will be SO much more fun.

We want to surprise our kids. They have no idea about the trip and ideally, we want to be able to hold off on the surprise until we hit the airport... in Seattle. Our dilemma? Crossing the border and answering the custom officers questions without giving it away. Is it possible?!

My only idea is to hand a note to the Customs Agent with our passports. The note will read something like: "Dear Customs Officer, we are surprising our little ones with a trip to Disneyland and would love to be able to keep the secret until we reach the airport. Our itinerary is attached. We'll return on March 23...". Think this will work? I do have visions of the Guard immediately thinking the note is a threat to national security and arresting us ... . Any other ideas?

It has been a while since I crossed the border but I do not believe they ask you for specific destination, ie. Disneyland or Universal. They may ask for destination but I believe your response of Seattle and Anaheim for tourism would be enough. Like I said it has been a while and I am no expert

 

[MICKEYFIL]

Just say you are going to Orange County. I would not try passing notes across to border security. It will be especially awkward because it is usually the first or second question they ask and usually comes out before the passports are even taken.

 

[It'sKim]

We have done this twice and both times said "Anaheim". Both times they asked us if this was a surprise. The first time it was the second it wasn't. When we said yes it was a surprise, they were VERY good about keeping it that.

 

[CSAColl]

You could also just say Southern California for a family vacation.

The only time we've been stopped and questioned about a trip was when we mentioned we were heading to Mac World. The border guard had about 10 questions about his iPhone and iPad not syncing properly.

 

[tdhickey]

We did this in September, said we were going to Seattle and flying to Anaheim for 9 nights. The border guard clued in right away and told the kids to have fun with a smile! My plan was to quietly say we were surprising the kids with a trip to Disneyland or the happiest place on Earth. They are 5 and 2 so unlikely to clue in. Worse case scenario the "mouse" gets out of the bag at the border and you have a story to tell!

Turns out our kids don't like being surprised, they were kind of mad at us when we let them know.

 

[SweetAlex]

We flew out of seattle last september and also wanted to surprise the kids at the last minute. We crossed at the sumas border and we had a file folder that contained our passorts, flight and hotel comfirmation as well as a letter at the front of the file folder. In the letter we said that it was a surprise for our children and please dont say anything that would give it away. We gave them our travel dates and mentioned all the supportive documents that were in the folder. We pulled up and the guard asked for our passports. My Dh said, "here is all our info". The guard opened it, read the letter, smiled, asked us what we do for work and then with a big smile said, "have a fun time!"
Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!! My kids are 9 and 3 and didnt have a clue what was happening.

Oh perfect!! It did work! What a great guard you got... hopefully we luck out too! So glad it worked for you guys!

The distraction thing may work but I know the guards like everyone to be quiet when you pull up so not sure I want to tick them off right from the start . It might work though, if we opt not to try the note thing.

I really do think it will depend on the guard we get. Some are great... lots of fun and like to chat with the kids, others are more stern and to the point... I can't see those ones wanting to "skip procedures" and be fine with a note.

I think we'll give it a whirl though anyway... if nothing better comes to mind. Thanks for sharing your experience!